Carried out to sea
by cherry fantasy
Summary: England, 1603. Duo is the Lord High Admiral's son. Heero is the most feared pirate captain to ever rove the seas. When the latter kidnaps the former, Hell breaks loose, and love breaks through... [YAOI, AU fic] 1x2, 3x4, 5xM
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer : **__I don't own Gundam Wing or any of its official characters... Life is cruel that way..._

_**WARNINGS : **__This fic will contain YAOI and SHOUNEN AI, meaning maleXmale relationships. Don't like, don't read. Simple as that. You've been warned. Flames will be royally ignored. Also, this story is AU, and thus may contain some OOCness. Sorry about that, hope you don't mind !_

_**Pairings : **__Heero/Duo (1x2), Trowa/Quatre (3x4), Wufei/Meiran (5xM), maybe some others later..._

**Author's note****: Hi ! (waves) Alright, this is my first GW fic, so please go easy on me Ok ? (winks) Or at least, don't hit me too hard ! Anyway, I just hope you'll like the story, and please don't be afraid to review, it makes my day every time !**

**Before we begin, I'd like to introduce my two muses, Akari and Raiu !**

**Akari : **Hello everyone ! (smiles)

**Raiu : **Whatever...

**You can ignore Raiu, she's a pest.**

**Raiu : **And you can ignore Cherry-chan, she's a-

**Akari : **(clamps her hands over Raiu's mouth)

**Thanks Akari-chan. (glares at Raiu) Anyway, that's done with, so now let's get on with the fic !**

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**Important note**

**Although I based my story on a real historical period in England, meaning at the beginning of the reign of James Stuart The First (1603-1625 /** that's the duration of his reign, not his life**), I changed many facts and added or replaced some important personages. Don't take everything written down here for granted, and go check it out if you wanna know if it's real ! Usually there will be more information given at the bottom of the pages.**

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**.: Carried out to sea :.**

by cherry fantasy

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**Prologue**

_England, City of Westminster, July 30, 1603_

The boy sighed, absently playing with his long braid of silky chestnut hair. His violet gaze surveyed his surroundings, seeking distraction without much success. He was bored. Simply, completely and royally, bored.

Duo finally let go of his braid and swung it back carelessly, heaving another sigh. If you'd think a manor as big and luxurious as the one he was living in would offer at least some sort of entertainment, well you'd be greatly mistaking. As it was, a cemetery was more animated... He could always go play a prank on one of the servants, maybe the ever-grumpy Jenkins, but Duo had reached a point where even himself was running short of original ideas. Just ask the manor's staff, they'd confirm !

Duo glanced around once more, not that he really needed to ; he knew the scenery by heart. The Maxwell Manor's gardens were some of the most beautiful in all England, envied and praised by many. The manor in itself was an impressive piece of art, still standing proud after two whole centuries and many Maxwell generations. White in color with golden trimmings and a red roof, it could easily compete with some of the Royal Residences. Very large and four floors high, the manor was resting on a headland facing the ocean, which was no surprise considering the family's history, who'd always held high ranks in the British Marine...

That history had finally reached its apogee a few years ago, with Duo's father becoming Lord High Admiral of England, named by Queen Elisabeth herself. A great honor, to say the least.

Out of all the places the Maxwell Manor could offer, Duo had always preferred the gardens. There he could sit and watch the sea, dreaming of adventure and fantastic journeys... Dreaming only, because there was no way his father would ever let him do it for real. Lord John Thomas Maxwell was a good man, but a man of principles first and foremost, and he'd already clearly stated that he couldn't let his son rove the seas like a mere pirate.

Duo sighed for the hundredth time. If only his mother was still there... But she wasn't, Duo thought bitterly. Lady Sophia Maxwell had died of tuberculosis when he was merely four years old. Now Duo was sixteen, and all he could remember of his mother was her long chestnut hair, her soft voice and the way she'd always been ready to play with him at every hour of the day. She'd loved adventure too, he knew it... The only reason she'd settled down was because she'd loved her husband even more.

Duo rose from the stone bench he'd been sitting on and walked through the gardens, coming to a stop a few steps farther at the edge of the headland. He stared longingly at the setting sun, letting the wind ruffle his light brown bangs... He'd always thought that he wasn't fitted to live the life of an aristocrat. Everything was just so... boring. Anyhow, that was is opinion, but of course his father would hear none of it. _«You'll get use to it»_, he would say, and then he would inevitably add : _«Look at Solo, he's perfectly fine with it !»_.

_"But I am NOT Solo !" _Duo thought with an angry frown. Solo was his older brother by three years. Him and Duo were very close, yet so very different... Like their father, Solo had short blonde hair and emerald green eyes. And like their father, Solo was comfortable with all that was rich clothes, diplomatic talk, receptions, late breakfast, balls, mundane meetings, and all the such.

Duo, on his part, took from their mother. Like she had, he sought freedom and adventure, something his position couldn't quite give him... His motto was : run and hide, but never tell a lie. In a world where word play and half-truths were practically common speech, his flagrant honesty had caused him trouble at first, and so Duo had learned how to soften the blow : he never lied, but when necessary, he could twist the truth in a way that most people at the Court would've envied him. Not one who liked to just sit around obediently and talk polite nonsense with other aristocrats, Duo greatly preferred to stay at home rather than to go out among them.

Which brought him back to the reason of why he was presently so bored : his father and Solo were presently out in town, gone at the Globe theater to see a piece from this newly famous writer and actor, a certain William Shakespeare. Five days prior, on July 25, James Stuart had been crowned new King of England (like being the Scotland King wasn't enough already...), placing the whole kingdom in a state of excitation and festivities (which Duo couldn't quite understand... from his point of vue, replacing one dictator by another wasn't such a great thing to celebrate).

Anyhow, the new sovereign had quickly adopted Shakespeare and his troop, naming them the _King's Men_. Their reputation was spreading fast, and the Globe theater was holding representations at least twice a day. Duo's father, now one of King James' favorites, had insisted that they went to see a representation, and the sooner the better. Choosing an evening during which the King himself would be present at the Globe, Lord Maxwell had then tried to coax his sons to follow him. Solo had agreed pleasantly, but Duo, of course, had declined the offer. Hence him being left at the manor while his father and brother were having "fun" (as they called it) in town.

This didn't really pose a problem, in fact. Of course Lord Maxwell would've preferred both his sons to come with him, but as Solo was his oldest and his heir until further notice, _he_ was the one who needed to make most appearances in society, and thus it wasn't an obligation for Duo to show up more than common courtesy demanded (to Duo's own relief).

And so the youngest Maxwell heir was now standing alone on the headland, watching as the first stars started to appear in the darkening sky. They twinkled and reflected brilliantly into the waves, bringing the sea to life under his gaze... It's not like Duo had never sailed before, quite the contrary. When he'd been born, his father was already vice-admiral, and very early in his life Duo had been introduced to the ocean. By now he'd been on boats many times, and to him, not a feeling in the world could rival with the freedom sailing brought him. Sadly, all he'd ever sailed for was when his father agreed to bring him along in business trips or scouting missions, which wasn't very exciting.

Duo wanted more. He wanted to go over seas and explore the world, he wanted to go with the wind, fight pirates and discover new lands...

"This is wishful thinking" Duo suddenly spoke up to himself, interrupting his musings. "I'll never have that kind of freedom. Father will never allow it, and it's not like I could just go and run away... I can't do that to him and Solo, and besides, he'd probably send the entire British Navy after me if I was ever to disappear like that !"

Duo smirked a little at that thought, knowing that it was true.

With a last dejected sigh, he turned away from the ocean and started his walk back toward the manor, planning on getting to bed early. He had nothing else better to do, and he knew that his father and Solo would only be back at some late hour of the night, if not by early morning. Sleeping would make time go faster, and with luck Duo would find something interesting to do in the morrow.

Stopping in front of twin glass doors, Duo took one last glance over his shoulder, letting his eyes linger for mere seconds onto the moving surface of the sea, before finally stepping into the house. With a derisive shrug, he said out loud :

"Too bad. It must not be in my destiny to be free and have fun"

Little did he know, Destiny has some very wicked ways... And it had planned something just as wicked for the night...

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**A/N : Alright, this was merely the introduction, there will be more action in the next chapter ! So, what did you think ? Good or bad ?**

**Raiu : **Awful, that's what it was.

**Yeah well I didn't ask _you _!**

**Akari : **I liked it !

**(glomps Akari) Thanks ! Anyway, please review everyone ! Come on, just a few words !**

**# In my story, I made Duo's father Lord High Admiral (which is a title that really existed by the way. It was the highest rank in the British Marine at that time). But in truth the **_**real **_**Lord High Admiral during that period was Charles Howard (1585-1619).**

**# The Maxwell Manor is fictional, I merely invented it for the purpose of my story. I don't think such a place ever existed in England during that period, or if it did I don't know about it.**

**# Queen Elisabeth the First is the one who ruled England just before James Stuart the First. This one, born in 1566, was first king of Scots, from 1567 to 1625 (the year of his death), under the name of James VI. When Elisabeth I of England died, James Stuart became king of England (officially crowned on July 25, 1603) as well as king of Ireland, under the name of James I. He was the first to style himself King of Great Britain. His queen was Anne of Denmark and Norway ; she died on March 4, 1619. **

**# The Globe Theater is a real place, and it still exists in England today. **

**# All I mentionned about Shakespeare and the **_**King's Men **_**is true as well.**

**Ok, that's about it for now... ****Review&review !**

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	2. Curiosity killed the cat

**A/N : Hi ! I'm back !**

**Raiu : **That supposed to be a good news ?

**YES ! Now shut up ! ...Hum, sorry folks, I know this update comes awfully late. I'm really sorry ! If you wanna know the reasons for the lateness, go to my profile, it's all written there. If you don't give a damn, it's OK too ! That's why I didn't write it here. Why bore you with my explanations if you don't want to hear it ?**

**Raiu : **What do you think you're doing now ?

**Just get lost Raiu.**

**Akari : **Don't pay attention to them... Here comes chapter one ! Long chapter, yay ! Read and enjoy !

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**.: Carried out to sea :.**

by cherry fantasy

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**Chapter one : Curiosity killed the cat**

Duo turned in his bed for the hundredth time, trying to find a comfortable position. No such luck ; sleep still wouldn't come.

Five hours now that he'd been lying in his dark blue silky sheets, turning and turning so many times that he'd lost count. But for some obscure reason, slumber still evaded him. Glaring daggers at the blue canopy as if everything was its fault, Duo finally gave up and sat up with a sigh of frustration. He slid to the edge of the mattress and grabbed a black satin ribbon on his night stand. Gathering his loose mass of long chestnut hair, he tied it up in a simple ponytail at the base of his neck. He then got to his feet and silently walked toward the door leading to his balcony...

The night was warm and a slight refreshing breeze was blowing softly from the east. Not very useful for sailing, but perfect if you were leaning on your balcony ledge like Duo at this moment. Staring ahead into the night, Duo found his gaze once again drawn to the sea ; like the wind, it was very calm for now, and one look at the cloudless sky told Duo that it wasn't about to change for at least the next twelve hours.

It was nearing midnight, but his father and brother still weren't back. Duo would've heard them, since Solo's room was right beside his. They were probably at one of their clubs, or maybe even with the King at the Palace. And to be honest, Duo would've been surprised if they'd been back this early. Knowing them, they would arrive a little before the first rays of the sun, go to bed and only come out of their rooms at noon. _"Typical of them after a night in town"_ Duo told himself with a grin, remembering the look on their faces when he'd once called them human owls, living at night and sleeping the day out.

Duo straightened up, wondering what he could do. He was definitely not tired, and he already knew that if he went back to bed he wouldn't be able to sleep. He thought about it for a moment, then made up his mind and returned in his room.

Being careful not to make any noise, he opened his closet and took out a loose white shirt with long puffed sleeves and a pair of black fitting pants. Coming out of his night clothes, Duo swiftly put on the new ones, adding a black belt and a black sleeveless vest over his shirt. A pair of black knee-high leather boots came to complement the outfit. Duo greatly favored the color black, especially since his mother's death. In a way, he still wasn't done mourning her...

Deeming himself ready, Duo took a few steps toward his balcony, before stopping abruptly and walking back to his night stand. There he tenderly picked up a long silver chain with a simple silver cross dangling from it : his mother's cross. She'd given it to him just before her death, and he'd promised to hold onto it with his life. He quickly put it around his neck and hid it beneath his shirt. Then he opened his drawer, took out his finely chiseled dagger and placed it in his belt. That done, he resumed his march.

He climbed over the balcony ledge, then down the wall with agility, taking hold on the wild rosebush that was growing on the surface. Duo's room being on the second floor, he didn't have a very long way to go before reaching the ground... especially considering the fact that he'd escaped this way lots of times in the past.

He gracefully crossed the manor's gardens without a sound, merely a shadow among shadows... Stopping at the edge of the headland, he walked alongside it for a while. He quickly discovered what he was looking for, a depression in the rocks creating some sort of natural staircase to the beach below. Duo climbed it down with the carelessness of someone who knew their way by heart.

He was going for a little walk.

o0o

Duo had been strolling along the beach for about fifteen minutes now, letting the sea's salty wind caress his face and ruffle his hair. There was barely a sound, aside the occasional lapping noise of the waves reaching shore or brushing against the rocks.

He had always loved to come walking on the beach, be it night or day, sunny or pouring rain. He'd always felt a strong connection to the sea, and the beach was as close to it as he could get when he wasn't on a boat. No one ever came here but him and Solo. It was their refuge when they were feeling depressed, sad, or when they simply wanted some time alone to think. Duo had found himself coming more and more frequently since his mother had died. He missed her terribly even though all those years had passed, and he had very little to distract himself from his growing loneliness.

His father kept telling him that if he would just go out more and make friends with other boys his age, maybe even find a nice girl to woo, he would feel far less lonely. But going out implied being at one of those men's Clubs, at the Court or at some other fancy place that his father and brother favored... Unlike them, Duo really didn't feel as if he belonged there.

As for making friends, Duo would rather cut off his right foot than befriend one of those snobbish little brats he'd met so far, with their nose in the air and their complacent behavior. If only some of them were more like Solo... Well, there had to be, but Duo had yet to meet them.

Finally, there was this matter of girls, which his father wouldn't leave him alone about. Lately he often told Duo : _«You're 16 now, my son, it's time for you to find a nice young lady to court if you ever want to marry. I'm sure you're aware that almost all the debutantes this year have their eyes on you and Solo. You're spoilt for choice, make the most of it. Not every young man is that lucky»_

If anything, Lord Maxwell was right in that last statement. There were many young bachelors this year, but the Maxwell brothers were presently the most sought-after, both by swooning girls and their mothers who were seeking suitable matches for their daughters. According to them, Duo and his brother were the perfect choice : they were clever, good-looking, well-mannered, always dressed elegantly at the latest fashion... And most of all, they were incredibly rich, they were sons of the Lord High Admiral of England, and they were heirs to an old aristocratic family that had always been favored by the Crown.

No need to say Lord Maxwell had been exalted by his sons' popularity among the fair sex. Being a good man, he'd given Solo and Duo complete liberty about the choosing of their future bride. Whether the girl was of noble birth or not didn't matter. Lord Maxwell had only one condition : he wanted both his sons to marry and ensure the family's lineage. In other words, he wanted grandchildren.

Duo had to wonder what would happen if he ever found the courage to tell his father the truth, which consisted of him preferring _nice young gentlemen _to _nice young ladies_.

It was Duo's greatest secret. Only Solo knew. For three years now Duo had been trying to find a way to break the news to his father, and after three years he was still searching. He just couldn't figure it out. The sad truth was, whatever way he chose to say it, Duo already knew what his father's reaction would be...

First, Lord Maxwell would think it to be another one of Duo's jokes. Then he'd realize his mistake, and that's when the storm would hit. Duo could already hear his father's angry voice screaming at him, eyes blazing with fury. Then would come the pleading, the denial ; his dad would ask him to reconsider, to think about it harder. Surely Duo was just confused, and this was just a phase... But Duo knew it wasn't, and he would tell his father so. Lord Maxwell would just stare at him, his green gaze full of disappointment. Then he would dismiss him calmly, refusing to look at him. From that point on, things would never be the same between them ever again.

Duo halted his steps and stared at the sea, sighing. There was just no way around it. He loved his father very much, and he knew his father loved him as well. Nonetheless, he also knew his dad couldn't approve of the way his heart felt, even less accept it. He just hadn't been taught that way. It wasn't his fault, and Duo already forgave him.

At least, Duo knew he had Solo's support. He still remembered his brother's stunned expression when he'd decided to tell him the truth about his likings. He'd been unable to keep it to himself any longer, and he'd needed to confide in someone he trusted. Luckily, when he'd gotten over the initial shock, Solo had been very understanding. He'd sworn to keep Duo's secret and to help him as best as he could. However, Duo knew that deep down, his brother was worried for him. To have a liking for the same gender was very badly seen in their society. It was an unforgivable crime. If Duo's secret ever got out...

Not that Duo was planning to flaunt it or anything. He was smarter than that.

Sadly, despite being aware of the danger it represented, Duo couldn't change how he felt, no more than he could stop the sun from rising every morning. It made him wonder if he would ever know true happiness, the joys of loving and being loved in return... And he wasn't sure what he feared most : living his life without ever knowing love, or actually finding it. The latter would bring just as much pain, if not more, because he wouldn't be able to live it freely. His chance at happiness would be right there, but Duo wouldn't be allowed to take it. That was Duo's cruel reality, because he'd chosen not to deny his true self.

_"I wonder what mother would have thought of it..." _Duo mused suddenly. Somehow, he was certain that his mother would have offered him her support, just like Solo. She'd always been very open-minded, as she'd traveled a lot with her own father before marrying Lord Maxwell. She'd seen so many different cultures and places... Duo still recalled some of the stories she used to tell him about magnificent Greek temples made of the whitest marble, about the incredible pyramids raising toward the sky, about dark-skinned people living on the islands in the Caribbean Sea, about the mysteries and colorful silk of Asia... Duo dreamed of seeing all those things with his own eyes. Sadly, he doubted it would ever happen.

Stopping his train of thoughts before he could have the chance to feel any more miserable, Duo took one last glance at the moving waters before turning around, intent on going back to his room. But suddenly, he heard a peculiar noise. It sounded like... laughter.

Frowning, Duo listened harder, but it was difficult to hear clearly through the wind. Blowing quickly along the cliff side, the breeze was infiltrating every hollows and swirling around each protruding rocks, creating a variety of strange sounds. Duo couldn't be sure that it was really laughter he'd heard... Nonetheless, he stopped and listened, his curiosity picked.

...There ! He'd heard it again ! This time he was sure of it.

Whirling around, Duo faced a wall of rocks a few meters before him. He knew that on the other side, hidden from sight, there was a small creek barely large enough for one ship to drop anchor. Its little beach was beautiful, although hard of access by any other way than by sea. But Duo had spent many years wandering this place, and he was a good enough climber to have been in the creek a few times. And right now, he was certain that the laughter was coming from there.

As he walked toward the rocky façade, Duo could hear the laughter becoming louder. There seemed to be not only one person, but many people laughing. Males, from the sound of it. Getting even more curious, Duo started his uphill climb, choosing to ignore the little voice in his head reminding him that curiosity killed the cat.

After a few minutes of hard efforts, Duo finally reached the top. Losing no time, he cautiously peered over, on the other side of the cliff...

His breath caught in his throat, his eyes becoming impossibly large. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Yet, there was no denying of it.

Pirates.

They were all there, in the creek, assembled on the little beach around a fire. Eating, drinking, talking... laughing. Some were even dancing and singing. Those were probably drunk. They were all men from what Duo could see, some old, some young, and everything in between. There was at least thirty of them.

But what really made Duo's heart race in his chest was their ship, floating silently in shallow waters near the shore. That ship, Duo had heard about it hundreds of times while listening to pirate tales. Mothers sometimes used it as a threat to get their children to obey, saying that if they didn't behave, that ship's crew and its terrifying captain would come and take them away. And that same ship was now directly in front of Duo's eyes.

_The Phantom. _

Resting on the dark waves like a ghostly island, the ship was as real as its crew. It was a beautiful frigate, its pearly grey sails hanging from three high masts. The solid wooden hull was painted a dark grey, the color of a stormy sky. At the bow of the ship, just under the bowsprit, was the sculpted figure of a woman with long hair. Her arms were reaching out, following the line of the bowsprit, and her angel wings were spread out in her back, cradling the hull symmetrically. Duo found it rather ironic to see the statue of an angel adorning a pirate ship.

It was said that _The Phantom_ was the fastest ship to have ever sailed, and that it could reach the speed of almost 10 knots. It had never been sunk, while in return _The Phantom_ had sunk dozens of ships... not before its crew had stolen everything valuable onboard, of course. People said it had been all around the world, accumulating riches beyond anyone's imagination. Since four years now, _The Phantom _had been the most serious pirate threat lurking the seas, and the entire British Marine was after it. God knows how many times Duo had heard his father rant about it. The French and the Spanish Marines were on its tail too, as well as some others, and there were incredible rewards for the capture of any of its crew members.

But of all the things that had been said about _The Phantom_, what fascinated Duo the most were the stories about its captain. He was definitely the most wanted pirate Duo had ever heard about (he'd heard about many, being the Lord High Admiral's son), and the price on _his_ head was so high that it made Duo wonder if maybe someone had made a mistake when writing the number of zeros.

Anyhow, if one believed the rumors, the captain of the most feared pirate crew of their time was not much older than Duo himself. Those who had seen him described him like a eighteen, maybe nineteen years old boy, with a lean body but a good musculature nonetheless. To this day, his skills with a sword were said to be unmatched. He would have short, messy chocolate brown hair and cold blue eyes. _«His eyes could freeze Hell over !» _Duo had heard one of his father's lieutenant say once. _«I'd rather cross gaze with the Devil than with him again !»_

Right now, looking down in the creek, Duo didn't know whether to be awed or terrified. _The Phantom _had dropped anchor practically behind his home ! ...His home that was also the Lord High Admiral's home, Duo suddenly realized. Were these pirates crazy ?! Or perhaps they were even more clever than it was said. Because really, who would think to look for them **here** ?

After staring some more below, a thought hit him, and Duo was surprised it hadn't come to him sooner :

_"I have to warn someone..."_

Still, he didn't move from his hiding place. His eyes were glued to the scene underneath, and a strange longing was growing in his heart... He caught sight of a young man with short brown hair standing in the midst of the other pirates, arms crossed over his chest. It was impossible for Duo to see his face at such a distance, and the boy had his back to him anyway. Perhaps it was the captain...?

_"Why the Hell am I hesitating ?" _Duo asked himself, frustrated. _"I could give away the whereabouts of _The Phantom_ and its crew to the authorities ! They wouldn't even see it coming ! So why in Heaven's name am I just standing here staring at them ?"_

But Duo had no answer to his own questions, and it only served to frustrate him even more.

He wasn't given time to brood on it, though.

"Well, well, what do we have here ?" a throaty voice suddenly said behind him.

Duo spun around so fast he nearly fell over, but a strong and incredibly large hand caught him and held his right arm in a death grip. Duo then got a good look at his captor, and he couldn't refrain a surprised gasp.

The man holding him had the darkest skin Duo had ever seen. In the moonlight it seemed almost black, but Duo knew from the tales his mother had told him that it was probably just a really dark brown. The guy was at least six feet tall... no, even more than that. He was bald, and wearing nothing but a pair of red pants with a black belt. Duo could see every last powerful muscles on the man's large and naked chest. Duo had no doubt this giant could break him in two with his bare hands if necessary... Said hands were now holding his two arms behind his back, and Duo knew better than to try and break their grip. It would be like trying to move a mountain.

There was another man behind his captor, this one of normal height to Duo's relief. He was older too, maybe forty years old, and he had peach skin like Duo was used to see. His black hair was greying at the temples. He wore a red shirt and some beige pants with a pair of black boots, and a gun was hanging at his belt. In his hand, he had a sword. He pointed it at Duo, and when he spoke it was with the same throaty voice from earlier :

"And what is a pretty thing like you doing here at this hour of the night, huh ? Don't you know it's dangerous to wander alone in the dark ?"

Duo almost snorted. What was this guy taking him for ? A damsel in distress ? Sure Duo was of small built, but it didn't mean he was totally defenseless. Nonetheless, he kept his mouth shut. He was smart enough to know that he was presently in no position to make fun of his attackers.

"Who are you ?" the man questioned him.

Duo didn't answer. His silence finally seemed to annoy the man, since suddenly Duo had the tip of a sword under his chin.

"I suggest you talk, or I'll make you" the older man growled out.

Duo gulped, but said nothing. He was trying desperately to find a way to reach his dagger... although it seemed pretty impossible with his arms held in his back by such a vice-like grip.

Meanwhile, the other man's patience seemed to wear out.

"Fine, don't talk" he simply stated, before raising his sword and preparing himself to give the final blow.

Duo held his breath, sure he was going to die. But before the sword had even time to come down, the giant behind him barked sharply :

"No !"

He had a very deep voice, a bit raspy but as hard as his muscles. The other man stopped his swing, stunned. But before he could protest, the giant pursued :

"This one is a beauty. The captain will want to see him"

Duo's eyes widened. The other just frowned, then lowered his sword and grunted :

"Yeah, alright. Let's bring him down"

Duo tried not to panic. Of course he'd had a doubt these men were from _The Phantom_'s crew, it was quite obvious. But what they were doing with him now, he hadn't seen it coming. What did that mean, _«The captain will want to see him» _? What was going on ? He was afraid to ask.

The giant suddenly surprised him by throwing him over his shoulder like a vulgar sack of potatoes. Duo barely suppressed a yelp at the abrupt maneuver, then another one as the giant started to climb down the cliff toward the creek below. Weren't they going to allow him the dignity of at least walking by himself ? Probably not, he realized. This way, both pirates could climb down without worrying about him running off.

They reached the ground much too soon for Duo's liking. Immediately the giant put him down again and resumed his earlier grip on Duo's arms, holding them behind his back and forcing him to move forward. The older pirate followed behind, silent.

Duo's heartbeat quickened as they neared the large group of pirates assembled around the fire. God, what had he gotten himself into ?

Taking a quick glance around, Duo noticed that a few pirates had spotted them and were now looking at them curiously. The giant stopped beside one and asked curtly :

"The captain ?"

The other merely pointed the right direction to him while ogling Duo not so subtly. Duo gulped, then frowned as he was forced to advance again. They walked through the group of pirates, Duo keeping his gaze firmly toward the ground. He'd seen the appreciative looks he was getting. It did nothing to reassure him.

Suddenly, they stopped. A new voice startled Duo into looking up :

"Who is that ?"

The voice was hard and sharp, if not a bit stiff. Duo glanced up and saw another man standing in front of them, about the same height and age as him. He looked different, though. He had shoulder-length black hair held back in a tight ponytail, and strange almond-shaped eyes as black as ink. It was pretty in an... exotic kind of way, thought Duo. The young man wore weird pants made of white silk, black shoes and a dark blue shirt with no sleeves. At his belt was hanging a sword as strange as his eyes. It looked like nothing Duo had ever seen.

The giant answered behind him, bringing Duo out of his musings :

"Jeff and I found him at the top of the cliff. He wouldn't answer our questions, but I thought the captain might like to see him"

The other narrowed his eyes and turned his attention back on Duo. This one tried not to look as nervous as he felt. He'd never been under such a piercing gaze. It felt as if the black-haired pirate was looking right into him, far into his thoughts, missing nothing as he went on. Duo decided right then and there that this man, never mind his small built, was deadly. Much more than the giant holding him.

The man suddenly took a step toward him and reached out a hand. Duo froze, but the hand merely went to his belt and retrieved his dagger. Then the pirate stepped back and told him with a smirk, holding out the expensive weapon :

"I'll keep this if you don't mind"

It was clear in his tone that he didn't give a damn if Duo minded or not. That was when Duo decided that he really didn't like this man, no matter how deadly he might be.

Said man just looked up at the giant and nodded curtly before moving aside to let them pass. "Jeff"seemed to have disappeared. Duo was pushed forward violently then forced on his knees.

"Thomas ! There's no need to be so forceful when he isn't even struggling" exclaimed a soft and musical voice, although there was a lot of authority in it.

"Sorry" the giant answered, and immediately the grip on Duo's arms loosened.

Looking up, Duo tried to identify the owner of the new voice. He found himself staring at another boy his age with short blond hair and gentle baby blue eyes. Was this one seriously a pirate ? It was hard to believe... He looked more like an innocent little angel. But Duo knew appearances could be deceiving. If that boy was part of _The Phantom_'s crew, then he was probably more dangerous than he looked.

Anyhow, Duo was grateful for his intervention. The boy was right, they didn't need to restrain him so rudely. He didn't intend to run away, at least for the moment. Duo wasn't stupid ; he'd lost his only weapon and even if he still had it, he was seriously outnumbered. Trying to escape now would be suicidal, especially since his opponents were pirates specialized in the art of killing.

Beside the blond pirate was standing another young man, tall and lean, rather handsome. He had short brown hair longer at the front, some bangs falling over his face and hiding half of it. Duo had to wonder if it was intentional. Somehow, this single green eye staring at him intently gave him the chills.

Then Duo's gaze caught a movement on his left. Quickly he turned his head around... and his eyes fell upon the most gorgeous young man he had ever seen. For an instant all he could do was stare, his mind numb. That's until the other's cold blue eyes locked with his own violet ones…

_«His eyes could freeze Hell over ! I'd rather cross gaze with the Devil than with him again !»_

Suddenly Duo could understand the lieutenant's words perfectly.

The blue-eyed one looked him over, then smirked slightly and said :

"A beautiful catch, Thomas. You've surpassed yourself this time"

The black-haired pirate who had taken Duo's dagger rolled his eyes, looking exasperated. The blond boy just shook his head indulgently, and the brown-haired one beside him had no visible reaction other than a raising brow.

Duo felt like a mouse trapped in a cage with a cat.

A popular feeling when you were face to face with Heero Yuy, pirate captain of _The Phantom._

* * *

**A/N : There ! Another one done ! So... was it any good ? **

**Raiu : **I-

**-didn't like it, we know. But I was asking people whose opinion actually matters to me, and that excludes you.**

**Raiu : **(glares)

**Akari : **Please send reviews everyone ! Come on, just a few words !

**See you next chapter ! (I'll try to update sooner this time)**

* * *


	3. Abducted

**A/N : Well, this definitely took less time than chapter one to appear, ne ? (I'm still sorry about that...) I hope you'll like it ! It took 16 pages on Word ! Can you believe it ? Just don't go thinking that all my chapters will be **_**that**_** long... This one just happened to turn out like that. Oh, and beware of the OOCness...**

**Raiu : **Just shut up and let them read for God's sake !

**Alright, damn it, no need to get so pushy ! (goes to stick needles into a Raiu voodoo doll)**

**Akari : **She has the strangest past times... Well everyone, here's chapter two ! Read on !

* * *

**.: Carried out to sea :.**

by cherry fantasy

* * *

**Chapter two : Abducted**

The sky was clear, but the moon was merely a thin crescent among the stars, and thus the night was dark, hardly lit with a dim silver light. At least the weather was warm enough, a fact that the head gardener of Maxwell Manor was grateful for. Robert Drake, that was his name, had been having troubles sleeping tonight. Most probably it was his age catching up to him, he thought. He was nearing 54 after all, with all the annoying aches and stiffness that came with it. What he wouldn't give to be 20 again.

Anyhow, tonight a particularly stubborn pain in his back was keeping Robert from the peaceful sleep he had wished for. After hours of lying uncomfortably in his bed with his eyes open, the old servant had finally decided that maybe a short walk outside would help relax the muscles in his back, and so he'd quickly gotten up, dressed and headed out. Robert was aware that a good rubbing would've probably done a much better job, but being widowed since two years, he had no wife who could help him with his problem. He would have to remember to go and see Dr. Hammond tomorrow and ask him for some sort of numbing ointment.

Right now though Robert's only solution was a walk, and although it probably wouldn't help much it was better than nothing.

The head gardener soon found himself in the Manor's gardens, his personal artwork of which he was very proud. Even at night it was beautiful. After following the little stony pathways for a moment, Robert decided to go walk along the headland, appreciating the vue of the sea stretching out a few feet below.

As he was walking a sudden gust of wind came from the sea, and Robert's white handkerchief that he'd been keeping in his sleeve was blown away. The old man cursed under his breath ; that handkerchief had been a gift from his deceased wife, whom he'd loved very much. Knowing that it probably wouldn't help his back, Robert raced after the cloth as fast as his old legs would allow.

Thankfully the handkerchief hadn't flown over the headland. By luck it got caught up in a bush growing on the edge of it, quite a distance away from where it had initially escaped Robert. The gardener reached the bush a few minutes later, out of breath. Really, he was too old to be running around like this.

He grabbed the handkerchief and put it back in his sleeve, making sure it stayed there this time. Then he turned on his heels and was about to head back toward the Manor when suddenly, something odd caught his sight...

Right there on the beach below, Robert thought he could make out what strangely resembled the tip of a ship's high mast, peeking out from behind a tall rock face. Knowing that his sight wasn't as good as it had once been, Robert took a few more steps to get closer. He looked again and... yes... it was hard to see it in the dark, but... yes, it was definitely a high mast. From his new position Robert could also see the two other masts flanking it.

There was a ship anchored in that creek. And it wasn't supposed to be there. Robert knew that much.

Despite his instincts telling him that it was a bad idea, Robert slowly moved forward, daring to get closer. He could now distinguish a pale orange hue coming from the bottom of the creek ; a fire, most likely. He could also hear the very faint sounds of male voices singing and laughing. And he could now see the ship's sails, even make out their pearly grey color.

Only one ship had sails of that color.

The second after that Robert Drake was running again, back toward Maxwell Manor to alert the authorities...

o0o

Duo stayed silent as dark blue eyes stared at him coldly, their intensity almost too much to bear. There was not a single hint of emotion in them, but one would have been ignorant to call them blank. Duo was not ignorant. There was something raging behind that steely blue gaze, something dangerous and powerful. Duo wasn't sure what it was, but it was pinning him down more surely than Thomas the Giant, who was still standing behind him with a good grip on his arms. As it was, Thomas could have released him and told him he was free to go, Duo would still not have been able to move.

Those cobalt blue eyes could have easily stared down the king himself along with his whole Court. At the moment they were doing an excellent job holding Duo captive... and suddenly Duo wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be set free.

Captain Heero Yuy really was the most handsome man Duo had ever seen. He did have short chocolate brown hair as the descriptions mentioned ; what the descriptions didn't say was that those brown bed-tousled locks fell so sexily over a perfectly designed face, shadowing slightly slanted blue eyes that were so deep it should've been illegal. Duo had also caught a glance of Heero's body, and once again the rumors really didn't do it justice ; while it was true that Heero was rather lean built, Duo had been granted a glimpse of hard pectorals between the folds of a partly undone collar, and he'd also took note of strong muscled thighs covered by form-fitting black pants. Heero was also wearing brown knee-length boots and a black belt that held two swords and a gun. His shirt was white and loose, and over all was a long dark blue coat with golden trimmings.

In Duo's opinion, captain Yuy was the hottest male specimen to have ever walked this Earth.

The freezing coldness of his gaze was definitely a downside though, as was his annoying little smirk. The worst part was that even though those two things shouldn't fit together, they somehow made Heero look even more sexy than he already was.

Still mostly entranced by the captain's eyes, Duo was startled when the man suddenly spoke :

"Who are you ?"

That question again. Well, of course they'd want to know. If he was only a servant, they could play with him then kill him. If he was someone important, they could ask for a ransom, play with him, get the money and _then_ kill him. That was Duo's guess anyway. Wasn't it what pirates did ?

Duo looked back at Heero. Casually sitting on a large rock, the captain was waiting for an answer. The blond boy, the black-haired one and the tall one who hadn't said a word yet were now all sitting as well, the three of them settled around Heero. They were probably his most trusted crew members, or his strongest ones. Maybe both. They seemed young... but the captain wasn't much older than Duo himself either, and he had quite a reputation already.

Thomas was still standing behind Duo, restraining his arms, and the rest of the crew was still partying away. Few of them actually cared to look in their direction to see what was going on with the newly-brought prisoner. They were far too busy drinking, singing and generally making fools of themselves. Nonetheless, Duo was certain that one word from Heero and they would all be on him, ready to slice his throat. _The Phantom_'s crew wasn't feared all over the seas for nothing.

Duo turned his attention back to the captain and his three mates, who were still waiting for him to talk. He thought quickly : if he told them who he was, they would probably go ahead with that ransom thing. The problem with that option was that Duo happened to be the Lord High Admiral's son. Heero and his crew were pirates ; Lord Maxwell was practically their worst enemy. Not that Duo was afraid of what they'd do to his own person. What he feared was that they would use him to manipulate his father out of revenge. John Maxwell was a man of duty, but he would agree to nearly anything in order to protect his sons. Duo knew that, and he couldn't bear to be the cause of his father's downfall.

On the other hand, if he kept quiet about his identity... Well, Duo had a good hunch they wouldn't kill him immediately now that they'd bothered to bring him to their camp. Most probably they would rough him up a little, and most surely they'd try to get in his pants, if the looks he'd been getting earlier were any indication. But Duo could handle that, and maybe he'd even get a chance to escape in the process. He was fast, agile, and he knew how to fight. He was good with a sword, even better than Solo, and he was simply deadly with a dagger. If he could only manage to grab either of those weapons, he just might have a chance... And if not, well... He didn't really want to consider that possibility. He had to think positive.

His decision made, Duo stuck up his chin and stubbornly refused to answer. Heero merely raised a brow at him, unimpressed. Duo just stuck his chin higher and looked away. No matter how good-looking the captain was, it wasn't reason enough to make Duo change his mind. He refused to meet Heero's eyes directly again though ; by now he was almost sure they held some kind of unnatural power. It was silly but hey, better safe than sorry, right ? Right.

Out of the corner of his eye, Duo saw the blond boy who'd helped him earlier fill a glass with what seemed to be wine before passing it to Heero. This one took a sip, his gaze never moving from Duo's face. Duo just pretended to ignore him. He managed to keep from jumping when Heero spoke up again :

"Do you not know how to speak ?" the captain said, twirling his glass between his fingers, a hint of mockery in his voice.

Duo bristled and snapped his head back, glaring at Heero while replying hotly :

"I can speak just fine, thank you !"

That little smirk appeared again on Heero's lips, and Duo understood : the captain had wanted to get a rise out of him and he'd succeeded. Damn him ! Why did all the gorgeous ones have to be such assholes ? Duo glared harder but it seemed to have absolutely no effect. Heero just took another sip of his wine, looked him over with cold blue eyes and spoke again emotionlessly :

"You must come from Maxwell Manor. It's the only property close enough. Your clothes look expensive, so you can't be a servant. You're either a guest or a member of the household. Which is it ?"

Duo had tensed up during Heero's speech, his lips now a thin line of worry. Crap, it seemed captain Yuy was a bright one. Duo should've guessed. You didn't get to be a famous pirate captain at such a young age if your wits didn't match your skills. And Heero's skills were said to be rather impressive...

"Well ?" the man insisted, although his tone (or lack of it) didn't change.

"Why don't you figure it out yourself if you're so smart ?" Duo muttered through gritted teeth.

He knew he was seriously testing his luck by answering to his captor that way, but he couldn't help it. Captain I-am-the-impersonation-of-sexy Yuy seemed to possess some kind of secret knowledge on how to get him riled up in five words or less. _"It must be a natural talent" _Duo thought sarcastically. _"He was born a jerk and he perfected his technique over the years"_

Anyhow, his rebellious reply got him a reaction alright, but not from the captain like he would've expected. It came from Thomas, who grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head back, then growled at him :

"Watch your words when you speak to captain Yuy !"

Duo could only let out a hiss of pain, tears unwillingly gathering in his eyes at the harsh treatment given to his scalp. Then Heero's voice came :

"Enough. Let him go, Thomas"

The sheer iciness lacing the words made a chill go up Duo's spine. He was very grateful not to have that tone directed toward him... Although, he was a bit confused as to why Thomas was the one getting reprimanded instead of him. Oh well, as they say, count your blessings, right ?

Following Heero's order, Duo felt the hand gripping his hair disappear rather quickly. He repressed a relieved sigh ; that had hurt, damn it !

He lowered his head and glanced at Heero ; this one had straightened his stance and was now glaring daggers at something over Duo's shoulder, most likely Thomas. Actually flinching under the force of that glare, Duo started to understand why Heero Yuy was such a feared personage despite his age. It wasn't just that strange aura of strength and superiority that seemed to be hovering around him ; it was also how intimidating he could be when he was mad. _Especially_ when he was mad. His features stayed neutral, but his voice became so cold that your heart was almost afraid to keep beating less it annoyed him more. That was without talking about the glare : Duo wasn't even at the end of it and it had made him flinch anyway. And something told him that it wasn't even one of Heero's best glares. It was scary, plain and simple. Duo even felt sorry for Thomas.

The poor fellow was now trying to apologize to his captain, stumbling over his words in his precipitation. It was almost funny to see such a mountain of a man being reduced to a scared little kid by a tiny (compared to him) guy like Heero. Duo couldn't blame him though ; that glare was terrifying, and Heero was still pinning Thomas with it, apparently in no mood to be lenient.

Despite himself, Duo felt a little stab of satisfaction at Thomas' misfortune ; the grip on his arms was starting to hurt, and the yank on his hair had _definitely _been painful. Of course Duo could take much more before he broke, but what kind of sane person likes to get hurt ? Not him anyway, and so he felt somewhat pleased that Thomas was being glared into next week. Why Heero was so mad at the man wasn't clear though... but for some weird reason it made Duo want to smile...

The blond pirate sitting beside the captain seemed to be the first one to take pity on Thomas. He set a calming hand on Heero's shoulder and said :

"Just go join the others, Thomas. I'm sure they'll have some beer and wine to offer you. Don't worry about the watch, Jeff got back to it and brought Samson with him. Just leave us the prisoner, we'll take care of it"

Thomas hesitated a mere second, but one look at Heero's heated glare and suddenly he was off, obviously in no urge to endure that glare any longer.

Duo did sigh this time when his arms finally came free ; they were stiff and a bit numb from lack of circulation. He rubbed them to get the blood flowing again, surprised when no one made a move to come tie him up or restrain him in some way. Quickly he glanced around, instinctively searching for a way to escape. The black-haired pirate spoke up, apparently guessing his train of thoughts :

"Don't even think about it" he said dryly, one hand over the hilt of his strange sword. "Believe me, you wouldn't get far"

Duo would've called him cocky, if it hadn't been painfully obvious that this young man was a master in whatever swordsmanship he used. His graceful and calculated moves were proof of that. Duo was willing to bet that the silent pirate with the long bangs was just as good. He wasn't sure about the blond one, but the two scimitars hanging at the boy's belt were definitely not there for decoration. As for Heero, it was a given that he was unbeatable with a sword.

The black-haired pirate was most likely right. Duo wouldn't get far if he tried to escape now.

Resigning himself to his fate... for the moment (there was always other occasions), Duo gave a dejected sigh and sat cross-legged on the sand, pondering about the mess his nightly excursion had turned out to be. Captured by pirates, and _The Phantom_'s crew no less ! But maybe he should try to see it as an adventure ? After all, hadn't he been wishing for something like this to happen, to break his monotony ? Well, not exactly something like _this_, but... Oh Hell. Guess you have to be careful what you wish for. Wouldn't it just be ironic if he died like this, tonight ?

A sad smile appeared on his lips at the thought, and he asked to no one in particular, his eyes downwards :

"Are you going to kill me ?"

He was surprised at the calmness of his own voice, and apparently so were they. They looked at him oddly, and Heero was the first to respond :

"No"

The icy coldness of his voice seemed to have gone with Thomas, along with his glare. Nonetheless, Heero's tone was final, indicating that he wanted things to be that way and that there would be Hell to pay for anyone thinking differently. His three companions shot him strange looks, but the captain either didn't notice or didn't care. He kept his gaze firmly on Duo.

"Well, that's good... I think" Duo said hesitantly. At least he wouldn't meet his maker at the early age of sixteen.

He wanted to ask what they intended to do with him then... but he didn't really want to be told. Thomas' comment from earlier was still running around in his head : _«The captain will want to see him...»_. Duo was pretty sure he knew what that meant now. What bothered him was that he couldn't decide if it was a bad thing... or a good thing. It was definitely better than being handed over to the crew so that they could all have a go at him (as Duo had first thought), but... it was no less degrading.

Duo didn't really care about his own reputation, but his father's and Solo's would also be forever ruined if people somehow learned that he and the captain of _The Phantom_ had... that they had... well, been _intimate _to each other. But that wasn't the worst.

The worst was that if such a thing ever got out, and that it was discovered that Duo had had any kind of willing part in it, he would be arrested and hanged. Male relationships were against the law. The punishment was death. His father would never survive the pain of his youngest son being executed like this. It was the exact reason why Duo had never given into his desires before, and why he was probably never going to.

So, there was no need to worry about anything, because Duo wouldn't do it. Never. He wasn't about to risk his life, his father's sanity and his family's honor for a pirate captain who probably just wanted one night of fun, after which he would just dump him and go wander the seas again. Duo was no common whore. He wasn't about to give into such demands from a complete stranger, and a pirate to boot. How could he even consider the possibility ? ...He wasn't considering it, right ?

Right ?!

...oh dear God, he WAS !

_"No no no, that's so wrong !" _Duo thought vehemently. _"I've only just met the guy, for God's sake ! And if that wasn't enough, he's a pirate ! A pirate __**captain**__ ! Am I so desperate that I'd willingly be his... his... No, that's so disgusting ! I could be sentenced to death, damn it ! And anyway, I would never lower myself to such... such... Argh, I just wouldn't do it ! Even though he's the most handsome thing I've ever seen... His hair look so soft... And his eyes... I just wish I could... After all, no one would know... Wait, what am I thinking ? Oh my God, don't tell me I'm falling for him...? NO ! No, I won't ! I wouldn't... would I ? Guh, I don't know anymore..."_

Tortured by his own conflicting emotions, Duo decided to push the matter aside for the time being. Seeking distraction, he observed the three young pirates sitting around Heero more closely ; they were all pretty unique in their own ways... and yes, darn it, they were all gorgeous. Not as much as Heero, but... No, no, back on topic : the onyx-eyed pirate who'd taken his dagger had a definite exotic look to him, and so did the blond one. As for Mr. Tall-and-Silent, Duo thought he might be French, or maybe Irish. It was hard to tell.

He couldn't guess what nationality captain Heero Yuy was from. His slanted eyes told he wasn't English, or at least not entirely. His looks were similar to the black-haired pirate's, but not identical. Not that Duo was complaining...

It wasn't long (merely a few minutes in fact...) before Duo tired of the silence between them. Deciding that brooding over his fate was pointless, and that those pirates couldn't be _that_ horrible since they hadn't hurt him yet, Duo looked up at them and started up a conversation :

"So... What are your names ? I've heard of Heero of course but I don't know about you three. If I'm to be stuck here for a while I'd rather have something to call you"

It was the blond one who answered him :

"If we tell you our first names, will you tell us yours ?"

Not that question again ! Duo started by frowning... then his reasonable side showed up and told him that it was a fair trade. It was just his first name after all, what harm could it do ? And so Duo offered a grin and said :

"Alright. Fair enough, I guess"

To his surprise the blond boy offered a smile of his own and told him :

"Good. I'm Quatre. The silent one beside me is Trowa, and the rude one over there admiring your dagger but trying to be discreet about it is Wufei"

The black-haired pirate, now known as Wufei, snapped his head around and sputtered indignantly, then muttered something about "injustice" and shoved the dagger back in his belt. Quatre chuckled and even Duo couldn't repress an amused snicker. Then he remembered he'd agreed to give his first name too and he said :

"Well, hello Quatre. I'm Duo"

"A pleasure to meet you Duo" was the blond's reply.

Duo gave him an uneasy grin and mumbled, glancing around :

"Ah. I wish I could say the same, but..."

"It's quite alright Duo. I understand your situation" came the polite answer.

Duo stared at him unbelievingly. When he'd imagined the fearsome crew of _The Phantom_, he had certainly not pictured them with golden blond hair, turquoise blue eyes and the most friendly smile Duo had seen in ages. Deciding to be bold, he voiced his thoughts aloud :

"No offense Quatre, but you don't exactly fit my idea of a pirate"

For some reason his comment made silent Trowa smirk a tiny bit, while Wufei just plainly sniggered. Even Heero looked somewhat amused. As for Quatre himself, he just grinned and told him :

"Well, I get that a lot. But don't doubt it, I am a pirate"

"I know." was Duo's simple and calm reply. It got him some looks from the others, but he ignored them and pursued : "Are those scimitars at your belt ? I saw a pair once, but they were only ornamental. I always wished I could see real ones"

Quatre just stared at him for a moment, stunned by their captive's sudden friendliness. He hadn't been expecting to get some in return for his own. But he felt Duo's sincerity, and just like that the smile was back on his face. He pulled one of his weapons out of its sheath and showed it to Duo, explaining why it was designed that way and how you fought with it, which was very similar to how one used a sword.

Duo listened, genuinely interested. He could feel Heero's Prussian blue gaze on him, but he didn't feel quite brave enough... yet... to meet that gaze again.

It was a bit frightening how comfortable he suddenly felt among those pirates, despite Heero's stare digging a hole in the side of his head... but even then Duo couldn't honestly say that he disliked the feeling. Right now, he felt almost as if he... belonged. He felt free, free to be himself and speak his mind, no longer restrained by any kind of etiquette. Truly, it was frightening how easily he could get used to this.

It didn't change his mind though. He couldn't allow himself to be kidnapped or used, for his own sake and for his father's. He would still escape at the first chance he got.

Why in the world was Life always so unfair to him ?

o0o

When admiral Zechs Merquise had been awoken by one of his servants at 1: 53 in the morning, he'd felt annoyed. When, after throwing on some pants and a shirt, he'd went down to meet a messenger who apparently had to speak with him _immediately_, he'd felt exasperated. When his butler had told him the messenger came from Maxwell Manor, he'd felt intrigued.

When he'd finally heard the message, he hadn't been able to believe his ears.

Apparently, the head gardener of Maxwell Manor, while taking a nightly stroll outside, had caught sight of none other than _The Phantom _itself, secretly anchored in a small creek behind the property. The old gardener had sent word for his master, but Lord Maxwell was out in town for the night and it would take time for the messenger to find him and bring him back. His oldest son was with him and the younger one seemed to have disappeared... again. In desperation, the Maxwell's gardener had immediately sent word for the young admiral Merquise, a friend of the family, whose property was only 20 minutes away from their own.

Zechs also bore the title of count by inheritance, but he rarely used it. He was a navy officer first and foremost, and he preferred to use his title of admiral. At 20, he was one of the youngest to ever be promoted to that rank, and he was very proud of it.

Anyhow, Zechs had known Lord Maxwell since quite some time now. Not only had he worked under the man's direct command a few times, their two families were also rather well acquainted with each other. The late Count Merquise and John Maxwell had been good friends. Even now, Zechs' younger sister, Relena Darlian (she insisted on using their mother's maiden name since their father's death, saying it sounded better) was pinning after the oldest Maxwell heir, Solo. She had often declared that she couldn't stand Duo, the youngest one. It's true that the boy was rather free-spirited and frank. But unlike his sister, Zechs didn't mind that... Quite the contrary, in fact...

Back to the matters at hand though, the minute after he'd received the message about _The Phantom_, Zechs had sent word to the Royal Guard to call them into action. The old gardener had been smart to warn him first, Zechs thought. There was a possibility that the Royal Guard wouldn't have taken a mere servant seriously, and it could have taken some precious time to convince them. On the other hand, if the alert came from admiral Merquise, they'd be quick to answer. And indeed, they had been.

Zechs was now riding toward Maxwell Manor as fast as he could, leading a bunch of armed guards. There was 52 of them following him on their own horses, and the young admiral hoped it would be enough.

It wouldn't be Zechs' first encounter with _The Phantom_ and its crew. They'd met once before on their favorite playground, the sea.

Zechs hadn't been on his own ship that day ; he'd been a mere guest on the Vice-Admiral of England's ship, _The Eternal_. They had spotted _The Phantom _some distance ahead and immediately launched a pursuit. Surprisingly, they'd managed to catch up. To this day Zechs still suspected that _The Phantom _had slowed down on purpose and waited for them...

After firing the cannons a few times (and after _The Phantom _somehow managing to avoid every cannonballs), _The Eternal _had reached and boarded the pirate ship. The two crews had met in an all out fight ; Zechs himself had faced the pirate captain. Of two years his junior, Heero Yuy had still managed to best him and send him overboard after only 6 minutes of combat. Zechs had been furious. _Nobody_ had ever been able to best him with a sword, and then this kid...!

...But Zechs had gotten a good look at those dark blue eyes. Very few could probably put up with such intensity, such raw power. Eyes like hat definitely didn't belong to a kid.

It hadn't been long before the rest of _The Eternal_'s crew had met the same fate as him, everyone ending up bruised and beaten into the sea. _The Phantom_ had then sunk their ship before sailing away (with most of _The Eternal_'s valuables), leaving them to wait in some small crafts for another ship to pass by and rescue them. Fortunately there'd been many ships sailing in that area.

Zechs was still holding a grudge against _The Phantom_'s captain, and he'd been waiting eagerly for the day when he'd be able to take his revenge. With luck, he would be able to do it on this very night...

o0o

It was hopeless. Duo could see no way around it. Even though the pirates had been drinking for hours, none were asleep yet and more than half of them still looked sober enough and definitely up for a fight. They could hold their liquor better than Duo thought was humanly possible.

There was only two ways out of the creek : over the cliffs or into the sea. Duo was not stupid enough to try and escape by the sea, and there were watchers posted at the top of the cliffs. Add to all that, Heero, Trowa, Quatre and especially Wufei were all keeping a cautious eye on him. He was still free to move, but he had no doubt that if he should try anything funny, they would all be on him in a blink.

It was hopeless. How was he ever going to escape ?

_"Just calm down" _he thought. _"The occasion will present itself"_

"Duo, are you alright ?" Quatre suddenly asked him, looking concerned.

Duo came out of his daze and nodded quickly, adding a grin for reassurance. He realized he'd passed his ponytail over his shoulder and started running his fingers through his long chestnut strands absently ; normally he would play with the end of his braid. The motion was a sure sign that he was nervous or deep in thought.

Right now he was both.

He was nervous because the longer he waited to escape, the less chances he would have to succeed.

He was deep in thought because the longer he waited to escape, the more he realized he didn't really want to.

Quatre was a very friendly type of guy. Very well mannered too ; he'd obviously been around nobility, maybe he'd even been part of it. Anyhow, Duo was starting to like him very much. Quatre was the kind of friend he'd always hoped to have : outgoing, nice, understanding... As for Trowa, he hadn't said more than three words yet. Nonetheless, Duo was starting to like him too. Trowa didn't speak much, but he listened. Duo had noticed. Even Wufei wasn't that bad. He wasn't nearly as intimidating when you knew him better, and he was extremely fun to tease ! Quatre and Duo were having a field day ! They stopped though when Wufei's hand started getting dangerously close to his sword... The only thing stopping him from gutting them seemed to be Heero's stern look.

Heero... Duo was trying very hard to ignore him, but it was practically impossible. The pirate captain just had this sort of charismatic presence to him. Even if he didn't make a sound, you just couldn't help but notice him. And then there was this intense blue stare, fastened on Duo since the moment they'd seen each other. Seriously, Duo didn't think Heero had turned away even once.

He should've been annoyed, he knew it. He should've felt unnerved, or uncomfortable... But all Duo could feel was the butterflies doing flip-flops in his stomach and his heart that kept thumping faster against his rib cage. The longer those cobalt blue eyes lingered on him, the more Duo felt his will to leave weaken...

He hadn't yet found the courage to return that stare, but now he knew why : if he looked directly into those eyes again, he'd be doomed. He wouldn't be able to leave. He wouldn't want to.

There was no helping it, and Duo was still inwardly cursing his traitorous feelings.

He'd fallen for captain Heero Yuy, and he'd fallen hard.

Damn it all.

He was hiding it well, but that didn't keep the feelings from being there. It was making him even more determined to ignore Heero and avoid his gaze, because if he got caught up in it again, Duo knew what would happen : his determination would melt like snow under the summer sun. He couldn't allow that. He had to think about his father, his brother... He had to remember that Heero was a pirate, a criminal... That he would most surely just use him for one night and then dump him... He had to keep in mind that a single kiss with Heero could put him in danger of being executed...

But why did none of that suddenly seem to matter ?

Duo stubbornly ignored that last thought and kept chatting with Quatre about random subjects, while his violet eyes very subtly observed his surroundings, looking for any means of escape...

"Sally really is incredible" Quatre was presently saying. "From what I've seen so far, she can work in any kind of conditions, no matter how bad they are. She's the best doctor I've ever met"

"She seems great, the way you describe her" Duo answered with a smile.

A female doctor was rare, but then again, so was a female pirate. That Sally was obviously not an ordinary woman.

"Why did she stay on the ship ?" Duo asked, curious.

Quatre was just about to answer him when another pirate came running toward them. Duo noticed everyone become tense at the sight. The pirate came to a stop before them and said, out of breath :

"Captain ! Jeff and Cain spotted a bunch of men riding our way ! It's the Royal Guard captain ! There's at least 50 of them, and they're armed !"

Heero stood up and asked, his voice sharp :

"Are you certain they're coming for us ? We're well hidden, and the only one who saw us is now our prisoner"

"We're sure captain ! They're heading straight toward this creek, and Jeff thought he recognized Merquise at the front of the group !"

_"Merquise ?" _Duo thought, startled. _"Zechs found out about _The Phantom _? But how...?"_

Heero's voice interrupted his musings :

"How far are they ?"

"Not far captain. They'll be here in less than 15 minutes" the man answered.

"We're going back to the ship at once" Heero ordered. "Warn everyone, and tell the watchers to get down here immediately. Trowa, go and post a few gunmen to cover us should the guards get up there faster than expected. Tell them not to take any unnecessary risks and to join us as soon as possible"

Trowa nodded and then he was gone, the pirate who'd come to warn them fast on his heels. Seconds after that the whole camp was in motion ; the men were running to the crafts to get them ready to leave, the watchers were coming down from the top of the cliffs in a hurry and some pirates were cocking their guns, getting ready to "greet" the Royal Guard should they arrive a little too soon.

Duo had risen to his feet like the others, looking around and not really knowing what to do... Then it came to him that this was the perfect occasion to escape. In the confusion he would have a lot more chances to disappear, and with the Royal Guard coming for them none of the pirates would take the risk to chase after him. He would have to be wary of the gun shots, but that wasn't a problem. Duo was fast and good at stealth. He could do it. It was now or never.

Of course Wufei just _had _to choose that moment to grab his arm and say :

"Heero, what about him ?"

"He's coming with us" was the immediate and definitive answer.

"WHAT ?!" Duo exclaimed, not believing his ears.

Before he had time to blink Heero was right in front of him, grabbing his chin and forcing him to meet his gaze. Violet locked with blue and then Heero was telling him :

"You're coming, that you like it or not"

The tone of voice was hard and it was obvious that any protestations would be ignored. It was an order, plain and simple, and a very arrogant one at that. But... what was that flash Duo had seen in Heero's eyes ? It was gone as soon as he'd seen it but... It had looked like... like longing... Or maybe it was just Duo's imagination...?

Before he had time to ponder about it, a warning was heard from one of the pirates further away, and just as fast as he'd appeared before him Heero was gone again, taking out his gun and shouting orders to his crew. Duo saw the first line of guards appear at the top of the cliff, mounting their horses and guns trained on the creek below, the sleek rifles targeting the pirates. Duo felt Wufei tie his hands behind his back, then suddenly Quatre was before him...

"Don't fight back Duo" the blond told him. "If you do we'll have to bring you with us using force"

Quatre's voice was stern, a clear sign that he wouldn't hesitate to follow his word if necessary, but his blue eyes were pleading with Duo, urging him to just obey. And Duo found himself doing so, letting Wufei drag him quickly toward the crafts. Some were already rowing toward _The Phantom_, the ship silently waiting for them a few meters away.

Duo heard shooting behind him and he glanced backwards ; as expected the guards and the pirates were shooting at each other. Some guards were even starting a careful descent toward the creek, climbing down the cliff sides with difficulty. Then the remaining pirates took off toward the crafts as well, stopping and turning every once in while to shoot at the guards.

Duo saw Heero among them, and they crossed gazes for a mere second before Duo was shoved into a craft by Wufei. He didn't try to resist.

_"Damn it all to Hell and back !" _was the only thought going through Duo's head at the moment.

Just as he'd predicted, only one look at those cobalt blue eyes had been his undoing.

As it was, Duo could merely pray that he hadn't just made the biggest mistake of his life.

o0o

Zechs Merquise swore, huffed and cursed. He couldn't believe it. It had to be a nightmare.

They'd escaped ! Those damn pirates had escaped ! Only one had been killed. All the others had returned to their ship, out of Zechs' and the guards' reach. Then Zechs had been forced to watch as _The Phantom_ sailed away, unscathed once more. That ship was guarded by Satan himself ! How in the world did it always manage to escape ?

Zechs knew better than to try and send other ships after it. It was too late by now, and no ship could catch _The Phantom_ if it didn't want to be caught. None were fast enough.

But it wasn't over, oh no. Zechs would make sure of it. He'd track down _The Phantom _to the ends of the Earth if necessary. He and captain Heero Yuy would face each other again, and Zechs would be the one to defeat him and sink his thrice-damned ship.

_"Don't think it's over Yuy. I'll destroy you if it's the last thing I do..."_

* * *

**A/N : Yay ! Another one done ! Please review and tell me what you thought of it !**

**Akari : **Hum, cherry-chan...? Don't you think you should stop with that voodoo doll now ?

**But it's fun !**

**Raiu : **No it's not ! It's-Ouch ! Ow ! Eep ! Will you just-Ow ! Stop-Ow, that hurts ! Ouch ! Hey, STOP IT !

**See, it's awesome !**

**Akari : **(sweatdrops) Oh my...

**Please review folks ! And no flames or I'll make a voodoo doll of you too !**

**# I totally made out the name of the Vice-Admiral's ship (**_**The Eternal**_**). If his ship really did bear that name, it's pure coincidence.**

**# In the time when my story takes place, homosexuality was a crime punishable by death. Men having sex with other men was seen as an unnatural act against the will of God and against the Church. As such, the**_** Buggary Act 1533 **_**was a law adopted in England in 1533, during the reign of Henry VIII. The Act made buggary (a.k.a. sodomy, the usual way for men to have sex) punishable by hanging. In order to strengthen the Church of England, James I reaffirmed the **_**Buggary Act**_** during his reign, adopting an even more severe stance toward it. **

**That law and its penalty were not lifted until 1861.**

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	4. Prelude to the storm

**Word from the author : Yes, I know, another long wait. I'm really sorry. I work on many fics, I have a bunch of homeworks, and a life (yes, I swear, a life). Because of that I often get overwhelmed, and there's also this thing called 'inspiration' to consider. It doesn't pop into existence at will (although I sure wish it did). Anyway, all that to say that I'm really sorry about the wait I once again put you through. I'll try not to do that again, I promise. I know it gets annoying. Just refrain from throwing things at me please...**

**Akari : **It's okay cherry-chan, I'm sure they'll forgive you.

**You think ?**

**Akari : **Of course !

**What about you Raiu ?**

**Raiu : **(sitting at a hand-made stand with a poster saying : "100 ways to hurt an unreliable author. Today's Special : Buy an airgun, get 1 throwing knife free !")

**RAIU !!!**

**Akari : **Huh... Enjoy the chapter everyone...

* * *

**.: Carried out to sea :.**

by cherry fantasy

**

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**

Chapter three : Prelude to the storm 

When John and Solo Maxwell got home, it was around 3:00 a.m. No one was sleeping though. Lord Maxwell wasn't surprised, considering the situation, nor was he surprised to find part of the Royal Guard in his courtyard and admiral Zechs Merquise in his living room.

"Lord Maxwell, sir. Solo." Zechs greeted them, rising to his feet as they walked into the room.

Father and son looked startlingly alike, both possessing deep emerald green eyes and short strawberry blond hair stylishly done at the latest fashion. Solo nodded politely to their guest while John Maxwell answered his greeting with a smile :

"Please, no formalities this late at night, Zechs. Now, what exactly happened here ? Solo and I were at the Burgundy Club, practically on the other side of town, when we got the message. We left as fast as we could, but obviously we missed all the action. Although, since I can see no ship and no prisoners, I can guess that things didn't go too well."

"Unfortunately, sir." Zechs confirmed as they all sat down. "_The Phantom _escaped. The pirates had territorial advantage ; this creek they were in is terribly hard of access by any other way than by sea. One of my men even broke his ankle trying to climb down. We shot at them of course, but it had very little success considering our position. All pirates but one succeeded to reach their ship and sail away, and the one left behind is dead."

"So _The phantom_'s crew escapes justice once again, it would seem." Solo commented with an amused smirk.

Zechs gritted his teeth but didn't reply. Lord Maxwell threw his son a half-hearted glare before turning back to Zechs and speaking, trying to sooth the man's ruffled feathers :

"I'm certain you tried all that was possible, Zechs. Don't forget you were at a disadvantage, you said so yourself. There will be other occasions."

Zechs merely nodded, skillfully hiding his frustration behind a mask of calm and discipline. Oh, there would be other occasions alright… He'd make sure of it…

"So, where's Duo ?" Solo suddenly asked. "I would've thought he'd be in the middle of all this ruckus."

Zechs turned to him and said evenly :

"Young Duo seems to have disappeared again, I'm afraid. That is why your head gardener, Mr. Drake, sent for me in the first place."

"By the Gods, that boy is impossible !" Lord Maxwell exclaimed with a laugh, shaking his head. "He takes so much after his mother that it almost scares me ! The next thing we know he will have secretly built his own ship and gone on a journey around the world all by himself !"

"I must say that it wouldn't surprise me, sir." Zechs told him, an odd smile dancing on his lips.

The playful mood was ruined though when Solo suddenly jumped to his feet and rushed to the other end of the room, worry etched over his features. He stopped before the red cord used to call the servants and pulled on it a little more harshly than necessary.

"Solo ?" his father called, puzzled.

He didn't get an answer though since Jenkins, their butler, chose that moment to enter the room.

"You called, my Lords ?" the old man inquired respectfully.

Solo was on him in a flash, his voice tense as he asked :

"Jenkins, do you know of Duo's whereabouts ?"

"I'm sorry my Lord, but no. I personally went to look for the young master earlier tonight at Mr. Drake's demand, but he was not in his room and we could find him nowhere in the manor. That is when we decided to send for Lord Merquise."

"Did someone see him since then ?" Solo urged him.

"No my Lord."

"Solo, what is going on ?" Lord Maxwell demanded, his tone severe as he rose from his seat.

But Solo ignored him and turned to Zechs instead, who had also risen to his feet by now. The young Maxwell heir took a step toward him before speaking :

"You said that the pirates were hiding in the creek behind the manor, right ?"

"Yes…" Zechs answered slowly, wondering what Solo was getting at.

"And you said that they all escaped, except the one who was killed."

"Yes."

"Are you positive that there was no one left in the creek, or even anywhere else on the beach ?"

"Certain. I ordered a thorough search that revealed itself fruitless : no one was found."

"Damn it…" Solo growled out, brows furrowed with worry.

"Solo, explain yourself." Lord Maxwell ordered sternly.

The young man turned to him and asked him matter-of-factly :

"Father, where do you think Duo goes during his little nightly escapades ?"

Silence. Then…

"Damn it."

"Exactly."

o0o

"_Alright. I will close my eyes, and when I open them again I will be in my bed, in my room, in the manor, and this will all have been a dream created by my strange, deluded mind."_

No such luck, for when Duo opened his eyes again he was greeted by the same small, although somewhat luxurious cabin he'd been locked in since the last hour and a half.

Duo wasn't sure if the gravity of his situation had completely sunk in yet. It was either that, or… Well, he really couldn't find another explanation as to why he could remain so calm. Undoubtedly, being kidnapped by pirates normally provoked more panic than that, right ? Not that Duo had a lot of experience in the matter… Even so, he was certain that his current reaction was anything _but_ normal.

He'd been tied up and shoved into a craft by Wufei, and he hadn't resisted.

He'd been hauled up on _The Phantom_ by Thomas, and he hadn't resisted.

He'd been lead to and locked into a cabin by Quatre, and he hadn't resisted.

Duo was seriously hoping that a pattern wasn't setting itself.

Sighing softly, the long-haired boy took another look at his surroundings… Well, at least he hadn't been thrown down in the hold. In fact, the cabin he'd been locked in was rather nice looking. It was larger than any other Duo had ever seen so far. Granted, that still didn't leave a lot of space… But that didn't matter. Duo was used to the slightly cramped sleeping quarters that one had to deal with on a ship, and he'd never minded those accommodations.

He was presently sitting on the small and only bed the cabin contained, the furniture resting against the left wall of the room. Duo guessed that it could maybe offer enough space for two people his size… _if_ they slept quite close to each other. The mattress was soft and comfortable, as was the pillow, and the bed sheets were made of dark blue satin. The cabin also contained a large bronze chest, set right between the bed and the door, and an elegant secretary which stood just beneath the cabin's only porthole.

The walls (dark brown, horizontal wooden boards) were all bare except for this one spot facing the foot of the bed, where a strange painting was pinned. It was done on a long piece of parchment, the paper itself sewed on larger piece of red cloth. Duo couldn't for the life of him figure out that painting ; the black ink used on it seemed foreign, and the landscape it represented completely escaped him, as did the strange little signs painted below. Nonetheless, Duo thought it looked very pretty.

On the secretary, Duo could see neatly set stacks of papers, a white feathered pen in its little inkpot, a rolled up map and a silver compass. The secretary's only drawer, on the right, had a small golden keyhole, and it was obviously locked… _Not_ that it would've stopped Duo usually, but right now his hands were still tied behind his back, and although the rope wasn't tight enough to hurt, it was held by a surprisingly good knot. Duo had pulled at it enough to tell. Really, that Wufei had some odd talents.

Duo had nosed around the cabin of course, but he hadn't found much. The bronze chest wasn't locked, but it only contained some clothes, and a gold fob watch that was the reason Duo knew how much time had passed since he'd been locked up.

Almost two hours now. He wondered where everyone else was, and why no one had come for him yet. Should he be worried about that, or relieved ? Once again he wasn't sure.

Well, at least one thing was clear in his mind : by now any escape attempt was impossible. After nearly two hours, _The Phantom_ had certainly reached the open sea. Duo was stuck on this boat until someone came to rescue him, or until the pirates decided to drop him off somewhere. Something told him that the latter was more than unlikely.

His father and Solo had probably figured out what had happened to him by now. Zechs would've explained to them about _The Phantom_ and the creek, and the pirates' escape. Jenkins would've told them about him missing. Solo would've put two and two together. Lord Maxwell was probably alerting the entire British Navy right at this moment.

God, things were such a mess… If Duo had known that all this would happen, he would've never gone out for a stupid walk.

Right ?

Yes, yes, of course. He wouldn't have. No, never.

Even if it meant he would've never met Heero… Heero and his strong, charismatic presence… Heero and his gorgeous body… Heero and his bed-tousled chocolate brown hair… Heero and his annoying, sexy little smirk… Heero and his deep, beautiful, bewitching Prussian blue eyes…

"_Oh, for Heaven's sake !" _Duo exclaimed internally, falling back on the bed with a frustrated sigh.

He just **had** to fall for the pirate captain, huh ? Yes, of course. As if things weren't complicated enough already, he had to fall for his captor. How enchantingly romantic.

Yes, sarcasm was a wonderful thing.

That established, Duo turned on his side (the only comfortable position with his hands tied back as they were) and made himself at home on the satin covered bed. It seemed that no one would be coming for him anytime soon, so for lack of something better to do, he might as well take a nap. They were still in the middle of the night after all.

Snuggling his face into the soft pillow, Duo closed his eyes and let sleep claim him…

o0o

"So ?"

"So what ?"

"Don't play dumb Heero, it doesn't suit you."

Heero turned toward his first mate and glared. Trowa merely stared back at him expectantly.

Both young men were presently standing on the rear deck of _The Phantom_. Trowa was casually posted behind the wheel, lazily steering the ship with an expert hand. Heero was right beside him, his expression unreadable but for the glare he was now directing at Trowa. The two of them stood straight, unaffected by the tilting movements of the boat. At this hour (it was around 5:00 a.m.), there were few people awake besides them. One man was in the crow's-nest and another was at the bow of the ship. They would be relieved of their duty and replaced by someone else in respectively 10 and 25 minutes.

When Heero saw that his glare was having absolutely no effect on Trowa (not that he'd expected it to), he frowned and turned his gaze away, letting it linger over the sea. Then his voice came to Trowa's ears, cold and flat :

"He has caught my interest."

"Obviously."

The captain turned and glared once more at his mate.

"You never had a problem with it before."

"And I still don't."

"Then why ask ?" Heero said, quickly growing annoyed.

Trowa turned his head to the side and stared at him square in the eyes. For a whole minute he was silent ; when he finally answered, it was with the same soft and even voice he always used, although his tone was quite serious :

"It is no business of mine who you choose to take into your bed, Heero, nor is the way you choose to do it. But you know as well as I do that the one you chose this time is probably – no, surely related to Lord Maxwell, and may even be one of his sons. If we'd taken gold and jewels, the Lord High Admiral may have decided not to chase us pass the English territory. But if we've taken one of his sons…"

He left his sentence unfinished, but Heero didn't need to hear the rest to understand what Trowa was implying. He shifted, but stayed mute.

"This is unlike you Heero." Trowa pursued calmly, moving his gaze back ahead. "The occasional prostitute or harem boy weren't an issue, but this Duo is more than likely dragging the entire British Navy after him. I find it hard to believe that you would take such risks simply because some boy has 'caught your interest'."

Heero flicked his eyes in his direction and grunted, but still no answer came from him. Trowa threw him a sideways glance before asking softly :

"There's something more about this one, isn't there Heero ?"

There was a long silence, then :

"…Aa." (1)

"Hm. I thought so. Quatre and Wufei noticed it too, you know ?"

Heero stared at him quizzically. Trowa allowed himself a tiny smirk as he explained :

"You think we didn't notice your slight change in behavior since the moment you saw him ? We've known you long enough to tell, my friend."

"Damare…" (2) Heero ordered half-heartedly, looking away.

The sound of a door shutting interrupted them. Looking down, they saw two men coming out of the sleeping quarters situated beneath the rear deck (on which Heero and Trowa were currently standing). After climbing the four steps leading on the fore deck, one of the men headed for the high mast ; obviously he was there to take his shift and replace the other pirate in the crow's-nest.

The second man walked in the opposite direction, heading straight for them. His short blond hair was like a flaming beacon in the dark of night.

A moment later Quatre had joined them on the quarter deck. With his usual pleasant smile he greeted them :

"Heero. Trowa."

They bowed their heads in acknowledgement. Heero didn't take offence when Quatre failed to call him by his title of captain. They, along with Trowa and Wufei, rarely used any kind of formalities when they were just together.

"Such a peaceful night…" Quatre was now saying. "The winds are good though."

The other two nodded in agreement. There was a moment of silence, then Heero surprised both his companions by asking tonelessly :

"How is our captive ?"

Trowa exchanged a knowing glance with Quatre ; the latter skillfully hid the little smirk that was fighting to appear on his lips. Clearing his throat, he answered sedately :

"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him was just before I locked him up, about three hours ago."

"You mean you haven't checked on him since ?!" Heero exclaimed.

"Well, no… Haven't you ?"

"No !" Heero barked. "I assumed _you _would, or that you'd send someone to do so !"

"Hum… Oups ?" Quatre said with a sheepish grin.

Heero glared.

"It's not his fault, Heero." Trowa intervened. "If you remember, we've been quite busy fleeing from the authorities during the last hours. You didn't think to check on him either."

Heero turned his glare on him, barely pacified.

"I'm sorry, Heero." Quatre then spoke up sadly. "I should've thought about it."

Heero looked back at him. Seeing Quatre's truly apologetic expression, he sighed and told him :

"Iie. (3) Trowa is right. We were in an emergency situation and it slipped all our minds."

Quatre smiled, reassured. Then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he said :

"Well, it's not too late to check on him now, hm ? Why don't you go, Heero ? He's in _your_ cabin after all. Your orders were quite clear about that. I believe it went something like this : _Bring him directly to my quarters, lock him up before coming back and if someone so much as looks at him the wrong way, break their nose for me._"

Heero shifted, glared, grumbled something under his breath and just dumped them there without as much as a 'goodnight'. The minute after that he'd disappeared beneath the rear deck.

Quatre waited until he was sure Heero was gone to burst out laughing.

"Allah !" he exclaimed, wiping at his eyes. "I think he was blushing ! I never thought the day would come when I would see Heero Yuy embarrassed…"

"I don't think he ever had a reason to be embarrassed before." Trowa commented.

"You're right." Quatre agreed more calmly, moving to lean against the other man. "He's fallen hard, hasn't he ?"

"Sans aucun doute." (4) Trowa answered in his native tongue, a small smile on his lips as he moved an arm to wrap around the other's waist.

"Now if he could only realize it…" Quatre mumbled, snuggling closer.

"He will, in time."

"I guess… I really think Duo will be good for him, Trowa. I can feel it."

"If you say so, mon ange," (5) Trowa replied, tightening his hold, "then I can do nothing but believe."

Quatre looked up at him, eyes sparkling. He leaned in for a kiss, then whispered softly against the other's lips :

"Ana hebbek, Trowa." (6)

"Je t'aime aussi, mon ange…" (7)

o0o

When Heero stepped into his cabin, he wasn't sure what to expect ; an attack, a shout, his personal belongings thrown randomly across the room, tears, pleading… But what he actually saw was something else entirely.

The cabin was neat and tidy as usual, and nothing seemed to have been touched. Heero took only a brief note of this though, for another sight had already gotten his undivided attention : that of a slender, slumbering figure presently curled up on his bed.

Slowly, silently, Heero moved forward until he was hovering above his sleeping captive… Duo was lying on his side, knees slightly brought up against his chest. The black ribbon holding his ponytail had loosened, and his long fall of chestnut hair was now spread around him like a silky blanket. His breathing was light and deep, his face completely relaxed. His eyes were closed of course, long lashes fluttering against his porcelain cheeks : Duo was dreaming.

Heero stood there for what seemed like an eternity, mesmerized. The only thing going through his mind at the moment was the word "beautiful". He decided not to ponder too much about the feelings this vision was stirring inside his long untouched heart…

Hesitantly, unable to resist the urge, Heero reached out a hand and gently brushed his knuckles over Duo's satin-smooth cheek. The long-haired boy sighed softly in his sleep and instinctively leaned into the touch.

Heero removed his hand like he'd been burnt, his heart racing.

"_What the Hell is wrong with me ?" _he thought, frowning.

His gaze quickly swept over Duo's sleeping form… Somehow it was all that boy's fault, Heero knew it. Since the moment his own blue eyes had met those large, pretty violet ones, Heero had known that something was different. He just didn't know _what_.

It wasn't the first time he did this : picking up a beautiful boy and carrying him away on his ship to satisfy his desires for a couple of weeks. He didn't see any harm in it. After all, more often than not those boys were more than willing to follow him. And even in the very rare cases when they weren't… Well, let's just say that one night with Heero was quick to change their minds. Captain Yuy possessed a great variety of talents.

Some of the boys had made the mistake of getting attached. Those ones had suffered a severe reality check : Heero had brought them back where he'd found them after a few weeks, like he always did, then left without looking back. He didn't feel guilty about that either. He always let them know right at the beginning that there would be _no_ commitment on his part. If they were foolish enough not to take him seriously, it was their problem. It wasn't like Heero had played them. He'd been honest with them, they'd known what to expect. End of discussion.

The situation with Duo was completely different though. First, Trowa was right : unlike Heero's usual conquests, Duo was not a simple tramp, a lonely prostitute or an obedient harem boy. He was someone important, and powerful people would come after them to get him back. Heero knew that.

That was his second point : he knew, but he'd brought Duo with them anyway. It was stupid, it was careless, it was dangerous… but he'd done it anyway. Why the Hell was that ?

He could've just left Duo there, on the beach. He _should've_ left him there. It wasn't as if the violet-eyed boy could say something to the authorities that would compromise them : they'd been very careful not to tell him anything that could lead to their capture. So yes, leaving Duo behind would've been the smart thing to do.

Heero hadn't been able to.

He'd been all around the world. He'd seen many beautiful boys, but none were as beautiful as Duo. When Heero had seen him, his first thought had been : _"Perfect…"_. And it wasn't just Duo's appearance either. Trowa had been right about that too. There was something… _more_, about the long-haired boy. Physical beauty was all neat and good, but it took more than that to faze Heero. Some of his previous conquests had learned it the hard way.

Duo was different. Without even trying or even knowing it for that matter, he'd caught Heero's interest since the moment the captain had first laid eyes on him. Heero was unable to name what he was feeling when he was around the other youth, but he could say with certainty that he'd never felt it before.

When the time had come to flee, Heero hadn't been able to leave Duo behind. It hadn't really been a conscious decision on his part ; the thought had occurred to him that if he left Duo now, he'd probably never see him again. Then Wufei had asked him what he wanted him to do with the boy, and just like that the words were out of Heero's mouth, almost without his consent. He'd ordered his mate to take Duo on the ship, _despite_ knowing about the risks of doing so.

And even now, as he stood looking at the peacefully sleeping beauty on his bed, Heero didn't feel a twinge of regret. He was even persuaded that, if given the chance to go back in time and relive the entire situation, he would do it the same all over again.

He wanted Duo with him ; it was as simple as that. He would ponder about the why of it later.

Bringing his attention back on Duo, Heero noticed something he hadn't seen at first glance, probably because of Duo's long hair : the boy's hands were still tied behind his back. Well, that had to be uncomfortable. Heero was surprised Duo could even sleep like that. He must've been quite tired.

Leaning forward, Heero carefully pushed the long chestnut locks out of the way (pretending not to notice how soft they felt against his fingers) and slowly untied the rope.

"_One of Wufei's special knots."_ Heero realized. _"No wonder Duo couldn't remove it. I'm sure he tried though."_

As soon as his hands were free, Duo mumbled something unintelligible and brought both his arms before himself, cradling them against his chest and curling up even more on Heero's bed. Something fluttered in Heero's heart, something warm and foreign that made him want to lay down with Duo and hold him for the rest of the night ; just hold him, nothing more.

Heero ignored the strange need and went to sit before his secretary. He had no intention to sleep ; the night was almost over anyway, and he had work to do.

_The Phantom _was now heading for Lisbon, Portugal. Heero wanted to get as far away from the British Marine as possible. He had halted his choice on Lisbon, one of their usual (and secret of course) stops. The ship also needed to put in soon in order to refill. They had five days ; any longer than that and the food and wine would run short. Making it to Lisbon in five days would be difficult, but not impossible. After all, _The Phantom_ was the fastest ship ever built.

In fact, they'd planned to refill in London, but obviously that option was out now.

Heero glanced toward the bed ; he wondered what Duo would think of this new development…

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**A/N : So, was it any good ? I know it didn't have any real interaction between Heero and Duo yet... But don't worry, that will come next chapter. Also, in said chapter, more characters (new or not) will appear. Please keep an eye out for it. I swear it won't take as long to come out as this one. I just got a renewed inspiration for this fic, thankfully. **

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**Translations :**

**(1) Aa - **one way to say "yes" in japanese

**(2) Damare - **one way to say "shut up" in japanese

**(3) Iie - **one way to say "no" in japanese

**(4) Sans aucun doute - **means "without a doubt" in french

**(5) mon ange - **"my angel" in french

**(6) Ana hebbek - **one of the many ways to say "I love you" in arabic

**(7) Je t'aime aussi, mon ange - **means "I love you too, my angel" in french

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**_Please review and let me know what you thought of the chapter !_**

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